Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Some 16 social welfare inspectors are also being assigned to various locations throughout the country to undertake means testing and other work associated with processing claims for the jobseeker's allowance. This is important at the initial stage of making claims — particularly the jobseeker's allowance where means testing is done as quickly as possible — but also as a control measure to combat fraud. Those inspectors are urgently needed, given the current numbers.

We recognise that providing additional staff is only one element in dealing with the increased volume of claims and therefore a number of measures have been taken, to date, to improve claim processing procedures. These include the introduction of a streamlined process for people who had a claim in the previous two years; the testing of an improved procedure for claimants moving from jobseeker's benefit to jobseeker's allowance, which we plan to extend to all offices later this month; on-line availability of application forms for the jobseeker schemes; and the use of an appointment system for taking claims in some offices which we intend to roll out to other areas over the coming months.

By introducing these initiatives, I am trying to ensure that the process is as easy as it possibly can be. I know that processing times in some areas are still too long but we are taking the necessary steps to reduce them. While every effort is made to ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible, Deputies will be aware that anyone who is under financial pressure while awaiting a decision on a claim for a jobseeker's payment can apply for supplementary welfare allowance, which is also subject to a means test and other qualifying conditions.

Apart from providing income supports, the Department of Social and Family Affairs also has an important role to play in helping people back to work. The Tánaiste has outlined some of the measures that are being taken in this regard. My Department works closely with FÁS in providing opportunities for people on social welfare to access the range of training and employment services offered by that organisation.

The national employment action plan is the main welfare to work measure. Under this plan, all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching three months on the live register are identified by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and referred to FÁS for interview with a view to assisting them to enter or re-enter the labour market. This process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of employment and training services offered by FÁS. Based on the latest information available, a total of 60,260 people were referred to FÁS in the period January to December 2008. Of these, more than 33,900 had left the live register by the end of January 2009.

In addition to the services offered by FÁS, the number of facilitators in the Department of Social and Family Affairs has also been increased from 40 to 60, while a further ten are due to be appointed. Facilitators work closely at local level with those on the live register to determine their needs and arrange appropriate training and developmental programmes for them.

A key aspect of the enhanced facilitation service is co-operation between the Department and other agencies, such as FÁS, the VECs and the HSE. The vision is of a single, transparent system with a primary focus on the customer and a route map starting at the first point of engagement with the Department. The facilitator programme is designed as a targeted approach, involving active case management and the development of an individualised progression plan.

A number of specific initiatives have been developed with a focus on young people who are signing on the live register. In summer 2008, the Department conducted a targeted programme to encourage young people between 18 and 25 years of age who were signing on the live register for more than six months, to gain additional skills and qualifications under the back-to-education scheme. Facilitators arranged meetings with clients under the age of 25 years in an attempt to raise awareness of the education opportunities and supports available, and to encourage them to take up courses in the autumn that would be appropriate to their needs.

A further initiative being developed at present involves the immediate referral of 18 and 19 year olds who sign on the live register to FÁS to undertake specific targeted short courses, rather than awarding welfare payments. This is currently being tested in two locations. I am anxious to ensure that initiative is spread throughout the rest of the country as well.

In addition to the general activation programmes, the Department of Social and Family Affairs also has two key schemes aimed at long-term unemployed persons: the back-to-education allowance and the back-to-work allowance. The back-to-education allowance is designed to encourage people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, consequently, their prospects of returning to the active work force. It enables qualified people who have been getting a social welfare payment to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course.

In general, to qualify for participation an applicant must be at least 21 years of age and must also have been in receipt of a social welfare payment immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study for at least six months for a second-level course and 12 months for a third-level course. The 12-month requirement is reduced to nine months for people participating in the national employment action plan. People who are awarded statutory redundancy may access the scheme immediately, provided their entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established prior to commencing an approved course of study.

The objective in setting up the scheme was to help unemployed social welfare recipients, by way of education and training, to improve their prospects of acquiring sustainable employment. A waiting period is considered essential to confer entitlement to income support for an indefinite period and is considered necessary in the context of targeting scarce resources at those who need it most. I am currently examining this particular scheme to see if it is targeting such people. I am also anxious to ensure that people who plan to go to college anyway should not try to organise their affairs to qualify under this scheme. It should be noted that the number of participants increased by 46%, between January 2008 and January 2009, to more than 11,500 people. Expenditure this year will be €88 million, but I will continue to keep it under review.

The back-to-work scheme was introduced to assist long-term unemployed people, lone parents and sickness-related welfare recipients to return to active employment. There are two strands to the scheme: the back-to-work allowance for persons who take up employment; and the back-to-work enterprise allowance for those who become self-employed. There has not been a great take-up of the back-to-work allowance because we have not had that number of people unemployed for such a long time. There is scope under the back-to-work enterprise allowance to facilitate more people, to which I am open. I heard Deputy Shortall's views on this and I look forward to hearing others'. There are 17,613 on the two strands and the amount of moneys allocated this year is €80 million. We are determined not only to ensure financial support is available, but also to help them improve their future job prospects through education and training.

As the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said, the Cabinet's economic sub-committee is working closely with the Departments of Social and Family Affairs, Education and Science and Enterprise, Trade and Employment on this. We recognise the severe difficulties faced by people. The pace of change has caused problems in social welfare offices but I know the staff are doing the best they can to facilitate people.

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